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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28293375">Exposure</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueyedgurl/pseuds/Blueyedgurl'>Blueyedgurl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ambiguous/Open Ending, F/M, Head Injury, Huddling For Warmth, Hypothermia, Isolation, Strangers, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:22:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,773</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28293375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueyedgurl/pseuds/Blueyedgurl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey just wanted to catch a fish for her New Year's supper.  But when she falls into the river and wakes in another time she's faced with a man who's just as lonely as she is.  </p><p>Can she get back to where she belongs?  Will she be able to help the man who saved her life?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey &amp; Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Reylo Readers &amp; Writers - The Marvellous Moodboard Event</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Exposure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriarLily/gifts">thewayofthetrashcompactor (BriarLily)</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day 31 for Reylo Readers event.  Moodboard by thewayofthetrashcompactor</p><p>This is a bit unconventional and not really a romance.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Rey walked with her lamp through the pre-dawn woods.  The snow was still heavy, the wind creating poor visibility.  But she insisted on having fresh food for New Year’s.  It was tradition.  Unfortunately, the rabbits were hunkered down due to the weather, so her traps had lain empty.</p><p>It left her with the task of fishing for her meal.  Normally she would not be so hesitant, but the fall had been cold early with a warm snap in late December making the ice conditions dangerously unpredictable along the river’s edge.   The middle of river remained unfrozen, yet the banks were lined with a layer of ice, slushy and slippery in places where it had been disturbed or pushed to the shore by the current.  But still she found that she must risk it if she wanted to eat something besides the squash and apples she had left. </p><p>She had things that she could trade in town, but it was a trek from her isolated little cabin and would be insupportable with the recent weather.  So, she decided to stay put.  She had managed to dig some grubs out of the dirt, a pile of leaves creating+ a warm place for them to winter.    </p><p>When she went down to the water, she found a spot of ice that felt secure and thick.  The problem was that the top layer was slushy and slick from recent weather.  She risked it, knowing that the fish preferred to bed down in this area, and she might be able to find something hungry enough to bite.  She cast her bait and waited, not letting the hook go down too deep for fear it would get snagged on the logs and rocks below.</p><p>She was lucky and it wasn’t long before she was playing tug of war with an unforeseen force.  She had finally managed to bring it to the surface and had reached down to grab it when her hand slipped off the edge of the ice and she tumbled headfirst into the frigid water. </p><p>The shock of cold caused her to shout out and she flailed, her heavy skirts dragging her down into the dark icy currents.</p><p>--</p><p>When she came to, she couldn’t say how long she’d been out, the icy water having felt like a dream.  She was impossibly warm, and she felt dry.  She blinked opened her eyes to the glow of firelight.  She moved, the blankets on her heavy and her muscles and throat were sore. </p><p>“Hey, you’re awake.”  Came the deep rumble of a voice from a dark corner behind her.  She nearly jumped out of her skin and sat up quickly only to be lightheaded and disoriented from the sudden movement and her head throbbed.  She lifted her arm out from under the covers only to see it was bare and she was dressed in some foreign bit of clothing that was too large for her. </p><p>“I’m sorry about your state of dress but if I would have left you in your clothes you would have froze to death.”  He eyed her wearily and the clothes he wore were unfamiliar to her.  She pulled the blanket up to cover her, feeling exposed, despite the implication he had already seen her naked.  It was then the rest of the room registered.  There were items that were unrecognizable to her as she stared around the room.  The man walked out of the shadows to stand in front of her.</p><p>He was tall, his hair black as midnight and his chest as broad as a bull.  She noticed his strange manner of dress.  How far down the river had she traveled to come into contact with this man? </p><p>She blinked heavily and rubbed her eyes as if that would make the things she was seeing go away or change. </p><p>“Is your vision troubling you?”  He asked her crouching down low to be on her level but not coming any closer, giving her space.  She looked around her, she was in a nest of blankets on the floor, the fire place only a few feet away from her, a strange looking string ran from the blanket to be connected to an orange string that seemed to connect to a wall. </p><p>She shook her head.  “No.”</p><p>“I was afraid you hit your head.”</p><p>She reached up, her buns had come loose, and she felt a goose egg on the back of her head.</p><p>“I think I did.”  She said with a wince.</p><p>“I need to check you over for a concussion.”</p><p>“A what?”  She asked uncertain what he was asking.</p><p>“I need to check to make sure that your head injury isn’t more than a bump.”  He told her.  He approached her slowly and pulled something out of his pocket.</p><p>He tilted her chin up, his hands warm and dry against her jaw.</p><p>“I’m going to shine this light in your eyes to see how your pupil reacts.”</p><p>“Ok.”  She didn’t understand what he meant but agreed but didn’t have the energy to argue.</p><p>A blinding light shone directly in her eye and she flinched away.</p><p>“What is that?”  She asked him, terrified of what black magic he was using on her.</p><p>“It’s just a flashlight.”  He looked between her and the small item in his hand. </p><p>“A what?”</p><p>“A flashlight.”  He held it up for her to inspect as if that was supposed to explain something. “Are you Amish or something?”  He asked her, as if confused by her response to him.</p><p>“Pardon?” She really had no idea what he was talking about. </p><p>“Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but the way you were dressed and the way you seem shocked by a one-dollar flashlight is a bit strange.”</p><p>“I didn’t understand half of the things you just said.”  She was growing impatient from her discomfort and confusion.  Worry and tension were starting to prickle her skin and flutter in her empty stomach. </p><p>“Are you feeling confused?”</p><p>“Yes, but-“  At that he shined that light in her eyes again and she yelled out at the discomfort of the bright light. </p><p>“Get your damn flesh light out of my face!”  She yelled, backing away.  The man still crouched down seemed to sputter before responding with a bit of exasperation.</p><p>“This is not what this is, those are obviously bigger than this?”</p><p>“What?”  She said still rubbing her eyes. </p><p>“Never mind,” he said, sounding a bit sullen.  “Either way, your eyes look fine it doesn’t seem like you have a concussion or anything.  Do you remember what happened before?”</p><p>“I… I went fishing and fell into the water, last thing I remember is getting dragged under.”</p><p>“Okay, where are you from?  I might be able to drive you there?”</p><p>Again, the misuse of his words plagued her.</p><p>“Drive?  I live in the woods it is not easy to get to by wagon or carriage.”  She explained. </p><p>“Carriage?  Are you sure you’re not Amish?”</p><p>“I don’t know what that is.”</p><p>“It’s a community that lives simply, they don’t embrace modern technology.  Well, unless there’s an emergency anyway.  Some have phones or lights in their barns.”  The man shrugged his wide shoulders.  “But they drive their buggies to Walmart, there’s enough of a population here that there’s even horse buggy parking.”  She didn’t know what a Wall Mart was but she was pretty sure he was rambling nervously.</p><p>“Look.  It’s kind of you but I’ll just walk.  Where’s my clothes?”</p><p>She watched as he got up and walked over to the large white box in the corner and opened a door, a light appeared within and she found herself backing up fearful.</p><p>“What witchcraft is that?”</p><p>The man turned in surprise before looking back at the box, an obvious look of confusion on his face.</p><p>“It just a drier?  Are you sure you’re not confused?”</p><p>Rey shook her head.</p><p>“Everything here is just so foreign and unfamiliar.  Like some dream.”  She said, unable to take her eyes away from the box as he pulled her clothes out.</p><p>She watched as she shut it and closed the distance between them. </p><p>“There’s a bathroom through that door.  Get dressed and I’ll take you home.”</p><p>She took her clothes and walked hesitantly through the doorway.  There was a small window letting in the waning evening light.  The room obviously had running water and she wondered at the amount of wealth that this man had.  She realized then that she hadn’t even learned his name.</p><p>She pulled off the strange shirt and the short pants that he had put on her.  Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, but she knew that he was right, she never would have survived if he had kept her in her wet clothes, and she was thankful to be putting them on now. </p><p>They were clean as if he had washed them, the scent was strange to her but not unpleasant, certainly not the scent of lye soap.  She wondered how long she had been out for, but maybe he had some sort of contraption to wash as well as dry. </p><p>She saw a looking glass and it was one of the clearest things she had ever seen and took a moment to fix her hair. </p><p>When she walked out the man was cooking on what must have been a stove, as there were flames coming up from under the pan he was working with.</p><p>“I figured you must be hungry.”</p><p>“Yes, please.”  She took in a breath, still feeling discombobulated.  “I’m sorry about my rudeness before.  I didn’t even ask your name.  I’m Rey, by the way.”</p><p>He turned to her, looking a bit surprised. </p><p>“I’m Kylo.”  He answered her.</p><p>“Aren’t you spending New Year’s somewhere?  You really needn’t go through all of this trouble.”</p><p>“No.”  His brows lowered and he turned back to his stove.  “I’m on my own this year, I’m afraid.”</p><p>“Oh.”  Rey said, he seemed nice enough, but it’s not as if her situation was any different. </p><p>“What are you making it smells delicious?”</p><p>“Steak and potatoes.”</p><p><br/>
“Steaks?”  Rey’s mouth watered, she hadn’t had fresh beef in months. </p><p>“Hmm.”  He nodded at her, pulling plates down from the cupboard and handing them to her. </p><p>“Set the table, silverware is over there.”  He nodded to a drawer next to the sink.</p><p>The plates were heavy and ceramic and had silhouettes of what she thought were moose on them.  </p><p>She grabbed forks and knives out of the drawer. </p><p>He stepped away from the stove to what looked like a strange cabinet, opening it only for another light to appear, she wondered if she’d ever get used to this. </p><p>He pulled out glass jars, and a pitcher of water, as well as what looked like a bottle of wine. </p><p>“Is that an ice box?”</p><p>“The refrigerator?”  He turned and looked at it.  “I guess they used to be called that.”</p><p>“I’ve heard of them but have never seen one.”  Rey said walking over to it and opening it. She could feel the cool air and in contrast to the warm air of the room. </p><p>It was different than she heard, there was no block of ice, but it was as if the cold air appeared out of nowhere. </p><p>“You must have a good income with all of this.”  She told him sitting down at the table. </p><p>Again, he looked at her strangely before looking around the room. </p><p>“That’s not something someone would normally assume, but I guess I do ok.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, that was horribly rude.”  Rey said, she wasn’t used to socializing much and had a hard time determining appropriate conversation. </p><p>“No, you’re ok.  I guess I’m just not so used to someone who is so open.” </p><p>“Oh.”  She caught a hint of a smile at his lips and she relaxed a bit and watched as he dished up their plates. </p><p>“It smells delicious.”</p><p>“Thanks.”  He picked up the wine.  “Would you like a glass?”</p><p>“Please.”  She said, it was a rare treat for her.  He poured her a glass of the deep red liquid.</p><p>“There’s steak sauce if you want, too.” </p><p>She didn’t know what that was, but she took the jar from him not wanting to be rude. </p><p>After they were done dishing up and Ben had poured them each water, they dug in.  The potatoes were soft, and buttery and the steaks were well seasoned, not at all tough like the last cut of beef she had bought for herself. </p><p>“This is delicious.”  She said, the sauce he offered had as savory flavor that she enjoyed very much. </p><p>“Thank you.  I’ll give you a ride home after we eat, the roads are finally clear and you don’t seem like you need medical attention.”  Ben told her, his eyes soft and reassuring.</p><p>“Ok.”</p><p>They ate in amicable silence.</p><p>When they were done eating, Rey picked up the plates and took them to the sink.</p><p>She was surprised when the tap allowed for hot water and she found herself laughing at the sensation.  Kylo just looked at her curious and amused. </p><p>“Rey, you don’t have to wash up, you’re my guest.”  He told her.</p><p>“I can?”</p><p>“No, let’s get you home.”</p><p>“Oh…”  She felt silly feeling so disappointed at the stranger’s eagerness to get rid of her. </p><p>He put on his coat and she followed him outside into the night, their breath fogging in the cold night air. </p><p>It was when she looked around her that she froze in her tracks.</p><p>“No.  Something isn’t right.”  She said, taking in the strange carriage in front of them, the fireless lights on the porch, illuminating the night. </p><p>“Rey?”  Kylo looked at her a bit panicked. </p><p>“I don’t know what that is.”  She pointed at the object.</p><p>“My truck?” </p><p>“Where are your horses?”  Everything looked foreign there was nothing here that said he lived off the land.  It was impossible to do here with the slope of the mountain and the rocky ground.</p><p>“Rey?”  He sounded worried.</p><p>“Where did I wake up?”  She practically shouted.</p><p>“Here?”</p><p>“Where am I?”</p><p>“You’re in West Virginia.”  He said his own panic mirroring her own.</p><p>“The mountains?” </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>She nodded relieved.</p><p>“What year is it?”  She asked hesitantly knowing she must sound like she’d gone mad.</p><p>“1995.”  He told her.  Tears sprang from her eyes and her hand covered her mouth.  Her knees wobbled and if Kylo hadn’t been right behind her she would have found herself on the ground. </p><p>“Rey?”  She shook her head and he set her on a bench next to his door. </p><p>“200 years.  200 years.”  Her mind reeled.  She pressed the knot on her head, a sharp pain shot through her head and she knew it was real. </p><p>“Rey?”  Kylo asked her.  “200 years, what do you mean?”</p><p>“I… I think I’ve gone mad.  I was born in 1735, when I fell in the water it was 1760.”  His eyebrows were practically in his hair when she looked at him and he did his best to school his features.</p><p>“Would it help if I took you to where I found you?”  He asked her, his eyes taking in her features as if he was unsure how to respond to her, and she couldn’t really blame him.</p><p>She didn’t see what good it would do, but she agreed none the less. </p><p>“Here.”  He said standing up and offering his hand.  He walked her to what he had called a truck.  It was metal and glass and painted a bright blue-green. </p><p>He handed her in, the door shutting with a heavy thud.  He got in next to her and reached around her to pull a strap across her chest. </p><p>He put a key in the shaft under the wheel and turned.  The truck made a violent roaring noise that would have scared her if she wasn’t already shook up.</p><p>Logically she knew she should expect the cart they were in to move, but she could not prevent the noise of surprise that came as they backed up to turn around and go down the long drive way.</p><p>Rey couldn’t help but laugh nervously, the movement jostling her and causing her stomach to flip. </p><p>She watched in the dim light as Kylo looked at her, his eyes crinkling with mirth at her shift in emotion.</p><p>“Do you want to see what this can do?”  He asked her, looking a bit mischievous. </p><p>Rey bit her lip, excitement bubbling up within her and nodded eagerly. </p><p>“Yes.”  She said a little breathlessly.</p><p>The truck got louder, and Kylo moved a stick that came up from the middle of the truck’s floor, the truck lurched and they sped impossibly fast down the hill.  It reminded her of the one time the farmer’s boy next to the orphanage took her for a ride in his cart.</p><p>She let out another giggle feeling a little mad but thankful for the reprieve from the anxiety she had been facing. </p><p>It wasn’t until Kylo crested a hill and they started their decline when she felt her stomach in her throat and thought she would be sick.</p><p>“Are you ok?”  He asked slowing down some, the feeling passed and she nodded.</p><p>“Yes.  It made me feel a little sick.”</p><p>“It does that sometimes.”  He said with a shrug.  “But it’s a bit of a rush.”  He told her.  He slowed and pulled off onto a road that was made of familiar dirt and gravel rather than the black inky substance they had just been driving on. </p><p>The road was bumpy, and Rey was jostled throughout the ride. </p><p>He parked in what looked like a little turn around. </p><p>“We’ll have to walk from here.”  He told her.  She looked at door and moved forward but was stopped by the strap.</p><p>“Oh.”  She said, a bit embarrassed and frustrated.</p><p>“Here.”  Kylo offered, unbuckling the strap and reaching over her to open the door.  She got out with a bit of a hop.  Within a moment Kylo was at her side.  Something resembling his fleshlight from earlier in hand.</p><p>The torch did a good job of lighting the way and before long they were met with the sight of the rushing water.  It was here that it made a bit of a lagoon.  She recognized the area it was about a mile down river from where she fell in.  The trees were different, but she recognized the landscape that was silhouetted in the moonlight, red dots flashed on top of the mountain peaks.  Again, she was reminded she was in an unfamiliar world.</p><p>“Does it look familiar?  I know it’s dark.”  He said as if in apology. </p><p>“Yes.  It’s about a mile from where I fell in.” </p><p>“You don’t want me to take you home?”</p><p>She looked at him sadly.  He was so kind.  He didn’t ridicule or sneer at her even though her circumstances were strange. </p><p>“We can try in the morning.”  She didn’t know what good it would do but she didn’t want to make him outright reject him either. </p><p>They walked quietly back to the truck and again he helped her in before getting in on his side. </p><p>The drive back was less exciting the moonlight creating a beautiful blue glow as it reflected off the snow. </p><p>When they got back to Kylo’s home, he lit a fire in the hearth, and they drank wine and he served them a piece of cake. </p><p>“What kind of cake?”  The color was dark like coal and she had never seen anything like it before. </p><p>“Chocolate.” </p><p>“Oh.”  She said a bit surprised.  She had heard of it as a fine delicacy from someplace she would never get to see, but she had never had it. </p><p>“I think you’ll like it.”  He said offering her a fat slice. </p><p>“Are you sure you’re not some wealthy baron?”</p><p>He huffed a laugh.  “Not quite, but I do okay for myself.”</p><p>She took a bite of the cake the bittersweet flavor flooded her mouth.  It was delicious, the cake light and airy and the icing on top sweet and thick.  She couldn’t remember ever having anything so rich.</p><p>They talked quietly as the evening passed, as if they weren’t total strangers.</p><p>“I grew up in an orphanage.  I don’t remember my parents really.  When I came of age it was revealed to me that my uncle had left me his homestead in the mountains.  It gets a bit lonely but it’s better than anything I’ve had before.  At least it’s mine and nobody can take it from me.”  She said.</p><p>The cake was nearly gone from her plate.</p><p>“Do you want more?”  Kylo offered. </p><p>“No.  I don’t think I could manage another bite, it’s so rich.”  She told him.  There was a pause to the conversation. </p><p>“What about you?  What about your life?”</p><p>“Oh…  Well, I’m an author, I write books.”  He said, rephrasing as if trying to make sure she understood.  “I was supposed to get engaged but we had a disagreement… I wanted to do some easy mass produced writings to fulfill a contract and she thought it was a bad idea and that I wasn’t being true to myself.  I just wanted to provide for her…”  His mouth quirked as if he was considering if he should continue.  “She had a life similar to yours.  She grew up in the care of people who weren’t her family, and they didn’t treat her well.  It wasn’t that I couldn’t make it in what I was doing, but I couldn’t bare to see her without everything she wanted.”  He huffed a humorless laugh.  “Now I get to live my life without her instead.”</p><p> Rey thought a moment.  It was a sweet thing and remarkably sad. </p><p>“I don’t know much about people… but maybe she just wanted you.  A you that doesn’t compromise who you are for others.”  She had struggled her whole life and she didn’t know if she could see the love of her life give up his own wants just to make their life more comfortable than it needed to be. </p><p>He sighed deeply as if resigning himself to the idea.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure she said the same thing…”  He looked at her then.  “You look remarkably similar you know… when I first found you, I thought...”  He took in a shuddering breath as if his worst fear had been realized. </p><p>“I’m sorry if I frightened you.”</p><p>“No, nothing to apologize for.  I’m just glad I could help.” He told her. “You don’t have someone, where you’re from?  When you’re from?”  She watched a look crossed his face like he couldn’t believe he had reworded the sentence like that. </p><p>“No.  It’s very sparsely populated where I’m from.  It’s probably not safe that I’m alone out there like I am, but there’s a village not far if I need anything.” </p><p>“Ah.”  He said.  “Show me.”  He told her.</p><p>“Show you what?”</p><p>“Your home, your village.”  He walked over to his bookshelf and pulled down a tatty looking book.  He paged through it and she could only make out the words on the front.</p><p>“Rand-McNally?”  She said out loud.</p><p>“Yes, a book of maps, quite handy for road trips.”  He said, practically scowling at the pages.  “Ah.”  He said looking pleased.  He handed her the book, the map in beautiful colors.  She couldn’t remember ever seeing one outside of a school room before, and never so detailed. </p><p>“We are here.”  He said, pointing to the map.  “I found you here.”  He pointed again to the lagoon.  “And this, is about where you said you fell in.”  He pointed to a small bend in the river that looked like it could actually be that.  She pointed to a small area, on the east side of the river.</p><p>“About here.  It isn’t really far, maybe just under a half mile from the water.  Far enough away to be safe if it floods but close enough to fish daily if I wish.”</p><p>Kylo circled it with some sort of writing instrument, that left a blue trail on the page. </p><p>It looked like ink, but it wasn’t with the quill and inkwell she was familiar with.</p><p>“We’ll check it out tomorrow then.”  He said quietly, stifling a yawn.</p><p>“You’re tired.”  She observed.  “You should go to sleep.  We can start fresh in the morning, figure out what to do.”</p><p>He nodded his agreement.</p><p>“Here, you should take the bed.”  He said, getting up and offering her a hand.  “I can take the couch.”</p><p>“But-“</p><p>“I won’t hear it, you’re a guest and you’ve had a rough day.”  He told her showing her to his bedroom. </p><p>There was what looked like a giant luxurious bed, some drawers for clothes and a small box with shining red numbers on it.</p><p>“A clock?”  She asked, looking at the object. </p><p>“Yes.”  He told her as he turned down the covers and dug through drawers.</p><p>“Here’s a shirt and some pants to sleep in.  You’ll probably swim in them, but they might be more comfortable than all of that.”  He said gesturing towards her outfit. </p><p>He shut the door behind him when he left the room and she changed and settled in the bed.</p><p>It was a long time before she fell asleep, her brain too busy reexamining everything she had been through that day.   Wondering how she was to make a life here, knowing there was no easy way back home. </p><p>When she fell asleep, she dreamed of Kylo and a girl who <em>did</em> look a lot like herself. </p><p>She watched as, if from above, the woman’s face shifted from a resolved sadness to reluctant hope to relief and joy.  Kylo’s moved from pained remorse to a tangible joy that she had no idea the stoic man had been capable of.  She watched Kylo wrap his arms around her and kiss her head and her cheeks before homing in on her mouth.  Rey blushed from feeling like an intruder, but it seemed to her that they couldn’t even see her. </p><p>The dream ended and suddenly she felt cold and she was choking and gasping, her eyes opening up to bright light.  A face that looked like Kylo’s was far above her, but he had a bit of a beard and she wondered how long she had been asleep for. </p><p>She coughed and sputtered.  “Kylo?”  She gasped as the face was closer and she recognized the press of an arm into her back.</p><p>“No, ma’am.  My name is Ben.”  He put a hand that was cold and wet, but still warmer than herself, up to her cheek.  “I watched you spill into the water we need to get you where you can be warm.”</p><p>She felt him lift her, her heavy wet skirts clung to her, her bared skin burning with cold icy chill.  The man, Ben lifted her up on to his horse and then got on behind her, wrapping them in a heavy coat. </p><p>Her teeth chattered and her hands shook as she directed the man towards her cabin.  He got down off his horse helping her down and walking with her into her cabin.  The fire was low in the hearth and she watched as he stirred it and added more wood.  He moved quickly, almost effortlessly as he pulled blankets off her bed and helped her to strip out of her skirts, now frozen stiff.  She was too cold and numb to think about the impropriety of what they were doing.  He quickly stripped bare himself before wrapping them in blankets and sitting them in front of the fire.  His limbs wrapped around her like vines and she was given no choice but to rest her head on his arm and watch the logs go up in a blaze. </p><p>They sat together and despite him being a total stranger she felt safe. </p><p>“I’m Rey by the way.”  She said.</p><p>“Rey.”  He said, testing the word.  “You can call me Ben.”</p><p>“Yes, Ben.”  She nodded.  </p><p>She felt him relax against her.</p><p>“What were you doing out there anyway?”</p><p>“Fishing for my supper, you?”</p><p>“Traveling to town.  I’m new to the area, got myself a parcel of land, not far from here actually.”  He told her.</p><p>“You’re alone?”  She asked surprised.</p><p>“Yes, seeking a new life.”</p><p>She hummed, understanding what he meant.</p><p>“I did the same thing once.”</p><p>“You’re alone out here?”  He asked in question.</p><p>“Yes.”  She murmured, the events of the day causing her to feel tired as she gained feeling back in her extremities. </p><p>“Well, you aren’t alone anymore.” </p><p>She hummed, feeling comforted by his words.</p><p>“Neither are you.”   </p>
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